The Nutcracker
by Nithul
Summary: FINISHED! When Yugi is gifted with a nutcracker from an unknown source, he never dreamed it would do anything besides crack nuts. But he proved wrong when a whole bunch of mice decide to invade the house during a sleepover with Ryou and Malik.
1. Chapter 1

**Alverna:** New story!

**Yugi:** Is that a good idea?

**Alverna:** Probably not. But I've had this typed up for about 8 months. About the same amount of time for my first one shot that was also recently pubished.

**Atemu:** Works for me.

**Ryou:** What about 'How did it come to this?'

**Alverna:** That will be posted tomorrow.

**Bakura:** Alverna owns nothing. Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

* * *

><p>It was Christmas time at the Mouto household, and everyone had gathered for the yearly Christmas party.<p>

It was two years after the Ceremonial Battle, and Atemu, which was the pharaoh's real name, Bakura, and Marik were all in the Afterlife.

Yes, the Gods allowed Bakura to enter, as Zorc was controlling his actions and he did not remember anything that he had done under Zorc's control. Though Bakura was given his memories of what did happen before he entered the afterlife. Small pain, large gain.

As for Marik, he was brought out of the shadow realm and was going to be judged. What had surprised everyone was that Malik spoke up and said that Marik had merely been acting off of his own hate and anger. Not knowing any other emotion, he really couldn't be judge as a full human. So he was allowed admittance, not judged and since no person happened to be wandering soulless, in order to get a taste of other emotions and 'life', as Bakura put it.

Malik had moved to Japan less than six months after the battle. Ishizu and Odion were starting to drive him up the wall, so now he lived with Ryou, whose father was still Ra knows where.

Everyone, except Mokuba and Serenity, had graduated from High School and were in college.

Joey, Yugi, Tristan, Seto, Ryou, Malik, and Duke all went to Domino University for there own reasons. Joey and Tristan got full scholarships, surprisingly; Seto and Duke were aiming for business degrees so they would be taken more seriously in the business world; Ryou, Malik, and Yugi were all studying Egyptology, for obvious reasons. The hikaris all wanted to be near each other, and Yugi wanted to stay close to his grandfather.

Tea had gone to New York to study dance, and was doing spectacular. Mokuba and Serenity, who moved in with Joey after a fight with her mom, were their freshmen year of high school, and were constantly beating each other out of top in class.

Yugi couldn't help but smile as he watched Tristan chased Joey around for stealing his Secret Santa gift.

"Give me back my gift, you mutt!" Tristan yelled.

"Tristan!" Joey wheeled on his long time friend and was about to jump on him as Seto grabbed Joey from behind.

"Give him back his gift." Seto said, and turned to Tristan as Joey did as he was told. "And I'm the only one who can call him that. Don't do it again or I'll freeze your bank accounts and get you kicked out of college."

Tristan gulped and backed away. He knew from watching Seto in the past, that he would go threw with his threat.

"Stop scaring my boyfriend." Duke glared as he pulled Tristan into his arms.

"Well he stops giving mine _my_ nickname for him, I'll consider it." Seto growled back.

Yes, Joey and Seto had gotten together, after they were 'accidently' trip by Yugi in the game shop, and ended up kissing.

"Come on guys," Mokuba chirped as he munched on some chocolate, "lighten up a little."

"Who gave you that?' Seto said in a half growl, half scared voice; Mokuba and chocolate were one dangerous mix.

"No one." Mokuba said slyly before running away from his chasing brother while screaming, "My chocolate!"

"Oh boy." Yugi shook his head as he came into the room with mugs of hot chocolate for everyone. "Anyone want to admit to the horrendous crime of giving Mokuba cacao and sugar?"

"Not me!" everyone in the room exclaimed. They all had seen what damage Seto could do on one of his _good_ days, and it wasn't pretty.

"Can we do our Secret Santa gifts now?" Tea asked, and Rebecca voiced her agreement. How Rebecca had gotten in on the Secret Santa, no one really knew.

"Okay." Yugi nodded. "Ryou, Malik! We're doing the Secret Santa now."

The mentioned two came into the room with plates of Christmas goodies, smiles on their faces.

"About time." Ryou sighed. "Malik was getting as bad as Joey with the cookies."

"I love peanut butter blossom cookies." Malik glared at the albino. "Sue me."

"With the amount of money your family is getting now?" Ryou gave him a critical look. "No way!"

"Aw." Malik pouted. "So much for getting some easy money."

"Malik!" Yugi's innocent face adopted a very pharaoh like glare. "This is a party. We're doing the Secret Santa's, _now_."

"Okay." Malik sighed. "And, sorry."

Yugi nodded and handed out the Secret Santa gifts that had been set on the table as people came in.

"Oh, come on!" Joey shouted and immediately turned his glare to Duke. It was that dog costume Duke had forced him to wear after the whole Duelist Kingdom fiasco and during the Dungeon Dice mess.

"Not me!" Duke raised his hands in surrender. "I threw the one I had into a bonfire."

"And I saw him do it." Yugi vouched.

"Then who?" Joey questioned before he noticed a giggly Tea. "Ha, ha."

"I couldn't help it." Tea snickered. "I saw it during Halloween and was going to give it to you for Christmas anyway. Being your Secret Santa, I just couldn't resist."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha." Joey grumbled as everyone else hid chuckles behind their hands.

"I'm sure we can find some use for it." Seto said as he sent a dangerous smirk towards his boyfriend.

"Uh-huh." Joey muttered as he blushed.

"Too much info there Seto." Yugi sighed. "We don't need to know what happens in closed quarters."

"Next person please." Rebecca muttered, a bit put out by the display.

In the end, Serenity received a bracelet from Yugi with a 'St. Joan' charm, a 'The Forgiving Maiden' charm, and a 'Marie the Fallen One' charm; Seto was gifted with a 'Blue Eyes White Dragon' stationary set from Ryou; Malik gave Professor Hawkins a few pieces of ancient carvings, stating that his family had copies in Egypt; Yugi was given a picture from Joey. In it was the whole gang, right after the Ceremonial Battle, and before the darker halves went to the Afterlife. How they got Seto into the picture, Yugi still wasn't sure.

Rebecca squealed when she was given the next upgrade of the Kaiba Corp Duel Disk from Seto, who flatly said to not mention it; Ryou smiled at Mokuba while he held the next book in his favorite series; Malik smiled at the new cartouche necklace that had his name carved in it, his gift from Serenity; Tea raised and eyebrow at the huge makeup kit given to her by Solomon. He had a weird obsession with young females.

"What?" Solomon asked at the weird looks being sent towards him. "She needs makeup for her onstage performances. I wanted to help. With college being expensive, Tea doesn't need to have makeup kits added to her bills."

Everyone had to admit he had a fair point.

Mokuba cheered as he received a huge box of his absolute favorite types of candies from Rebecca.

"Did you give him that chocolate earlier?" Seto demanded as Joey pulled him back down onto the couch they were sitting on with Yugi.

"No." Rebecca shook her head. "I would have eaten it myself."

Professor Hawkins was the last one to have his gift open by Solomon, who gasped as he saw his 'Blue Eyes White Dragon' card, repaired.

"I had Yugi send it to Pegasus, with a letter of explanation I wrote." Arthur explained. "He was more than happy to fix it, my old friend."

"Thank you." Solomon said as he held his card close, and then glanced at Seto. "Rip it again and your company is wiped off the face of the earth."

"Duly noted." Seto nodded his head. He had recently learned not to upset the elderly man. Just like himself being angry on a good day, it wasn't pretty to see Solomon mad.

"Hey," Serenity pointed to one more wrapped gift on the table, "what's this doing here? All of the Secret Santa's have been done."

"Well," Malik picked it up, "let's have a little looksie. It's for you, Yugi."

"For me?" Yugi asked as he took the gift from Malik. "It doesn't say who it's from, and Joey already gave me my Secret Santa gift."

"Just open it." Tea encouraged.

"This coming from Miss. 'don't open until Christmas'?" Duke asked.

"Talk about a switch." Tristan agreed.

"I really need to get more female friends here in Domino." Tea sighed.

"Well," Yugi glanced down to the wrapped box, "I guess I'm opening this."

Yugi took off the wrapping paper and opened the box to reveal…

* * *

><p><strong>Alverna: <strong>You guys can probably guess what he got.

**Malik:** Review and let us know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Alverna:** Chapter 2!

**Joey: **At least you put Chapter 28 of 'How did it come to this?' up first.

**Alverna:** That I did. And this chapter is offically dedicated to Marilynjayfreak, my first and _only_ reviewer so far.

**Seto: **Alverna owns nada. Enjoy the chapter.

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><p><span>Chapter <span>2

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><p>"It's an Egyptian Nutcracker!" Yugi exclaimed as soon as all of the tissue paper was clear.<p>

The nutcracker was made from wood, as most nutcrackers are, and was painted black. He had a large golden collar that covered his shoulders and a minor part of his upper chest. A traditional pharaoh's head cover was on his head, the one most associated with King Tut, and a white shendyt was wrapped around the doll's waist.

(**A/N:** Visit this link for a picture of the nutcracker I'm basing this one, http:/ www. ebay. com/ itm/ Vintage-Pharaoh-Nutcracker-King-Tut-Cleopatra-Huge- /350299667541)

"Wow." Joey said as he looked over his best friends shoulder. "You think the nutcracker has some hair under all that hat?"

"Maybe." Yugi replied. "But the hat's probably glued on." After a brief try, Yugi was proven right. You couldn't take the hat off, but it did wiggle a little, so Yugi straitened it before gently touching the cobra charm on it. The cobra was known as a protector to the pharaoh.

"Hey," Ryou reached down, "a note fell out of the wrapping."

"Well read it." Tristan said as everyone eagerly leaned forward.

"Go ahead Ryou." Yugi nodded as he held his new, old looking, kitchen tool in his arms.

"_Dear __Yugi,_

"_I've sent you this nutcracker as a way to help you cope with some hard times that you've been going through. I'm sorry if I unintentionally brought up some painful memories, but I hope that this nutcracker will be able to help keep you stable when alone at night. _

"_Best __of __wishes, __and __Merry __Christmas._"

"It's not signed." Malik said as he read silently while his fellow Hikari read aloud.

"What did it mean?" Tea asked as she turned to Yugi. "You know, when it said, '_I __hope __that __this __nutcracker __will __be __able __to __help __keep __you __stable __when __alone __at __night._' What's that all about?"

"Well," Yugi looked down to his lap, and the nutcracker, "ever since Atemu left, I've been having a hard time sleeping. Memories keep me awake, mostly good ones. But once I fall asleep, all of the bad memories tease me and don't let me rest. I've had to resort to taking sleeping pills so I could get through the college finals last week."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Duke asked.

"I already told some people." Yugi sighed. "Grandpa, Ryou, and Malik."

"We're going through the same thing Yugi is." Malik explained. "And Yugi couldn't hide how tired he was Grandpa."

"However," Ryou picked up, "it has gotten better since we found an inanimate object to confide in. Just something that won't take back, sasses at you for crying, or unintentionally make a comment that would make things worse."

"What do you have?" Mokuba, a lot calmer now that he had stopped eating candy, courtesy of Seto.

"Like Yugi," Malik looked a bit sheepish, "we also were sent nutcrackers, but they had a no return sender. Just a note that said, 'it will help you cope', only in a lot less words."

"Could someone be stalking you guys?" Serenity asked. "I mean, they knew all of you were having trouble sleeping."

"It could be someone we know." Yugi replied. "Someone who can pick up on hidden feelings."

"Like who?" Seto asked.

"Fair point." Joey agreed. "Out of all of our adventures, we never met someone like that."

"I did." Yugi sighed again. "Atemu and I could pick up when the other was bothered by something. It usually helped to talk things out."

"I don't get what the big fuss about the nutcrackers, or the pharaoh, is." Rebecca cut in. "He's gone, like he should be. Finally at peace. So the nutcracker should get thrown out so we don't dishonor his memory."

"No!" Yugi cried out as Rebecca snatched the nutcracker from his arms, and threw it into a nearby wastepaper basket, where it made a resounding -CRACK!- "How could you!"

"Huh?" Rebecca took a few steps back from a now really mad Yugi.

"That's _my_ nutcracker Rebecca." Yugi glared at her. "I decided what happens to it. And get over your hatred of Atemu already. He said he was sorry for what happened with the Orichalcos, and I forgave him. And that means I except everyone else to as well. Your actions are not making my life any easier. I'd really like to see you lose the other half of your soul and not feel lonely."

Silence filled the living room before Yugi picked his nutcracker out of the trash, noting the arm was broken.

"I need some time alone." Yugi said shortly as he turned to go to his room.

"Nice Rebecca." Tea turned her upset look to the girl. "You just put us back at square one with Yugi. Only this time, it will probably take longer to get him to come out of his room, and his shell."

* * *

><p>Yugi lay on his bed as he cried softly and held his injured nutcracker under his chin. Why did life have to be so hard? He knew Rebecca hadn't meant to be rude, but her words still stung.<p>

He missed Atemu, plain and simple. But he also loved him, as in, _love_, love. But he hadn't told Atemu his true feelings before he had crossed to the Afterlife with Bakura and Marik. Now he was gone, and Yugi would never see him again.

"Yugi."

A soft tap on the door brought Yugi out of his thoughts.

"Can Ryou and I come in?" Malik asked, hoping the answer would be yes.

"Okay." Yugi said quietly, and the two hikaris' let themselves in before closing the door again. While they did that, Yugi took a small piece of fabric, some toothpicks, and glue, and repaired the nutcrackers arm.

"You don't have to do this alone." Ryou said quietly. "It helped Malik and me when we would talk."

"What feelings did you two have for your other halves?" Yugi asked.

"Uh," Malik blinked, not expecting the question.

"You mean," Ryou raised an eyebrow, "besides the whole 'scared out to my wits that he would kill me' feelings?"

"Yeah." Yugi nodded. "You know that Atemu and I were close, and I wanted to know about you two."

"Well," Malik glanced down, "Marik did care about me to a point. But the real reason I ended that duel in Battle City, was I was scared because of my feelings for him. I felt… some sort of weird attraction. I now know that it was love. But it scared me, and I didn't want to confront it at the time. Now I truly wish that I had. He might have stayed."

"Bakura was a mixed case." Ryou admitted. "But I think we all knew that."

"Amen to that one." Malik said as he stole Yugi's pillow and flopped back on the bed, leading to Yugi's _other_ pillow to hitting Malik in the face. "Ouch!"

"My pillow." Yugi growled as he grabbed his pillows and held them close, along with his new nutcracker.

"Anyway," Ryou shook his head at the childish antics, "I know that he cared to a point, like Marik did for Malik. Although I thought it was because I was his host. He needed me to survive. But when I fell unconscious during the whole Memory World adventure, I was in Egypt to, and for some reason I was also able to be seen."

"Lucky." Yugi grumbled.

"Not really." Ryou sighed. "Palace guards saw me and thought I was Bakura."

"I see the problem." Malik nodded.

"Moving on," Ryou cleared his throat. "Just as the guards over took me and were about to kill me, Bakura came up on Diabound and scared them off. He looked over at me and said, 'Do be more careful Ryou', and then flew off."

"He called you Ryou?" Yugi gasped. "I always thought he never called you by name, but by insults."

"Yeah," Ryou agreed. "But his concern unlocked my feelings for him. When it came time for him to pass into the afterlife, I was too shy to ask him to stay."

"We all were." Yugi said as he glared at Malik, who was trying to steal one of his pillows again. "No, you can't have it."

"You're not even using it." Malik said as he tried to take it back.

"It's for Atemu!" Yugi snapped.

"What?" Ryou asked a bit concerned. "Did the pharaoh come back?"

"I…" Yugi glanced down, "I named the nutcracker Atemu."

"I named mine Marik." Malik admitted.

"And mine's Bakura." Ryou chuckled. "We really are a basket case aren't we?"

"A basket case of nutty hikaris." Yugi giggled. "You guys want to spend the night?"

"Could we?" Malik instantly looked like Christmas had come early.

"As long as you help clean up from the party." Yugi gave a small smile.

"I'll do it!" Malik exclaimed.

"Ishizu and Odion are coming in a few days," Ryou explained. "So Malik wants to, 'savor his last days of freedom', as he put it."

"Such a drama queen." Yugi sighed.

"This coming from the kid who stole the winter performance with his four line solo?" Malik shot back.

"For the last time," Yugi said with two pillows in hand, "I was just singing!"

"Sure." Malik rolled his eyes, earning himself a one way trip off the bed by means of pounding pillows.

* * *

><p>That evening, Ryou, Malik, and Yugi were crawling into their sleeping bags. Solomon had agreed to Ryou and Malik spending the night, but the house had to be clean before bedtime. So after the massive cleanup, Ryou and Malik went home, packed for overnight, and came back, bringing their nutcrackers with them so Yugi could see.<p>

They both were made of wood, and were painted black like Yugi's. Ryou's had a tan shendyt, which represented lower class, a robe that looked like it belongs to someone of high class, basic sandals, and a head cover the reminded Yugi of what a shepherd would wear.

Malik's had a white shendyt, basic sandals, a spear, and a tomb guard's head cover, which looked like his pharaoh's head cover, minus the strips and cobra protection charm.

Rebecca had apologized to Yugi as they tossed some torn wrapping paper into the trash can. And Yugi forgave her, knowing she hadn't meant to be inconsiderate of his feelings. She and Professor Hawkins had left shortly afterwards for their hotel. There just wasn't enough room in the house part of the game shop.

Joey and Serenity headed out the door with Seto and Mokuba. Seto had insisted they live at their mansion with them. A bit too big as he put it, so now they didn't have to worry about their drunken father ruining their Christmas.

Duke and Tristan headed back to the Black Crown Game Shop, where Duke ran his own business. They needed to be there so that they could let the children of Domino Orphanage pick out up to $50 of games, per child. Yugi and his grandpa had done theirs earlier in the week. It simply was a good idea of Seto's that they were willing to let roll. Tea went with Duke and Tristan to help.

"Hey guys." Yugi whispered after the lights were off. "You awake?"

"Yes." Ryou whispered back.

"Now I am." Malik grumbled. "Something wrong?"

"Just thinking back to when I was little." Yugi sighed. "Grandpa always told me to make a wish on the star on the top of our tree. For some reason, I want us to do that."

"It's a nice idea." Ryou nodded. "Maybe I could fall asleep afterwards. My thoughts are all over the place and won't let me sleep."

"I was already asleep." Malik grumbled. "As long as you two won't bug me afterwards, and I don't have to tell what I wished for, I'm game."

"Of course you're not going to tell." Yugi answered as he propped himself up on his elbows. "That ruins it."

"Okay then." Ryou sighed as they stared at the star on top of the gently lit Christmas tree. "Make a wish guys."

They all wished for the same thing. They wished for the men who had stolen their hearts to come back to them, and live a full mortal life. Slowly, the Hikaris drifted back to sleep, each holding their nutcrackers close to them.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Yugi woke to the sound of squeaking. It wasn't Ryou or Malik snoring, they didn't snore. Sitting up as he rubbed his eyes, Yugi glanced around, curious to find the source. Until his eyes landed on the coffee table and he actually discovered what had made the noise that woke him up.<p>

Sitting on it was a 'Giant Rat'. A real one. It was one of the new cards that Pegasus had made recently after Seto opened a new 'Duel Academy' the previous year. Though it was a lot smaller than the hologram in the game. It was about the size of a normal rat.

"Guys." Yugi whispered as he reached down to Ryou and Malik and began to shake them, not taking his eyes off the 'Giant Rat' on the coffee table for he feared it would disappear if he did. "Guys, wake up!"

"What?" Ryou jerked awake.

"This had better be good." Malik growled.

"There's a 'Giant Rat' on the coffee table." Yugi said as the 'Giant Rat' looked at them. "I'm not seeing things, am I?"

"No." Ryou shook his head. "I see it too."

"Same." Malik nodded. "What does it mean?"

The rat on the table let out a high pitched squeal, and other 'Giant Rats' came out of the shadows. They were followed by a hideous thing that was best described as a 'Bone Mouse' times seven. It had seven heads and its bones were seen all over the place, not just along the back of its spine.

"We never can have a normal life can we?" Malik asked flatly.

"Nope." Yugi and Ryou agreed together.

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><p><strong>Alverna:<strong> End of Chapter 2.

**Yugi: **Please review! The more reviews and the faster they come, the sooner we can get out of that rodent situation. -PUUPY DOG EYES OF DOOM-


	3. Chapter 3

**Alverna:** Chapter 3.

**Yugi:** Where's 'A Christmas Carol'?

**Alverna:** I don't know if I'm actually going to be able to do it.

**Joey:** Why?

**Alverna:** Too much shit going on in my life.

**Ryou:** Ouch. Alverna doesn't own Yu-gi-oh or the Nutcracker.

**Alverna:** Enjoy.

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><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

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><p>Yugi, Ryou, and Malik stared at the thing that could only be described as an abomination to the game of Duel Monsters.<p>

"Well, well, well." one of the seven heads of the 'Bone Mouse' said as he looked over the boys.

"It talks!" Ryou yelped.

"Yes we do." another head said. "We are known as the Mouse King."

"You got a name?" Yugi asked, not really wanting to say 'Mouse King' time out of mind.

"Of course." 'Mouse King' replied smoothly. "My new lovers deserve to know."

"Lovers!" Malik practically screamed in anger.

"Yes young ones." a new head said. "My lovers deserve to know my name is Nezumi."

"Japanese for mouse." Malik rolled his eyes. "How original."

"You have fire." Nezumi said as he licked his lips. "I like that."

At that moment, Yugi's stomach decided to rebel against him. Grabbing the wastepaper basket next to him, he emptied his stomach of anything he had at the party earlier that afternoon.

"Food poisoning?" Nezumi guessed, not realizing that Yugi had puked because of the revolting sight in front of him. A seven headed 'Bone Mouse'.

"I think he lost it because of the ugly sight in front of him." Malik said exsasperatly.

"What did you just say!" Nezumi shrieked.

"Oh," Malik sighed, "deaf as well. Something else to add to my 'What many things that I don't like rats' list."

"Malik." Ryou whimpered as Nezumi shook in rage.

"You'll pay for that!" Nezumi shouted. "You and your friends! Whether you're my future lovers or not, you need to be taught some manners."

Yugi leapt to his feet, his nutcracker in his arms. Ryou and Malik did the same. They weren't sure what Nezumi was going to do, but the idea of getting trampled by 100 or so 'Giant Rats' didn't seem appealing.

With a screech, the 'Giant Rats' all launched themselves at the three boys. They tired to escape the room, but were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of rodents.

'Someone,' Yugi thought as he blacked out, 'help us, please.'

* * *

><p>"Excellent." Nezumi hissed with delight as the three boys fell unconscious.<p>

But when the three nutcrackers that were in their arms suddenly sprang to life and drew their weapons, Nezumi hissed again. Only this time, it was in anger.

"Who are you?" Nezumi demanded.

"Our names matter not." the one dressed like a pharaoh replied with a glare.

"Translation," the red robed one snickered, "you're not worthy enough to know."

"I am worthy!" Nezumi shrieked. "I am King."

"Of rats." the last one, the guard, pointed out. "Come on, the Thief over there had a better company to command than you do."

"Well done, Keeper." Pharaoh rolled his eyes.

"What?" Keeper stared blankly at Pharaoh. "What did I do?"

"Rile him up, that's what." Thief barked has the army of rodents prepared to attack.

"You're point?" Keeper asked.

"We're a tad bit out numbered in case you haven't noticed." Pharaoh snapped.

"Oh." Keeper looked down sheepishly. "My bad."

"No kidding." Thief hissed, making the 'Giant Rats' stop their actions and chitter.

"Well I'll be…" Pharaoh muttered. "Didn't you communicate with hisses and clicks with your other company?"

"Yeah." Thief replied before smirking. This was going to be fun.

With a few more hisses, the 'Giant Rats' all turned on each other and began to destroy their companions.

"That works." Keeper commented.

"So does this." Nezumi hissed, making the nutcrackers turn to him.

Nezumi twisted as his body cracked and changed. Now, instead of being one body and seven heads, he had three bodies. Two of the bodies had two heads, and the final had three.

"Okay," Thief looked mildly put out at the display. "That's nasty."

"Silence!" Nezumi screeched, and each separate body lunged for a different nutcracker, teeth bared to bite and tear.

* * *

><p>Yugi stirred from his slumber at the sound of screeching. He opened his eyes in time to see Ryou's nutcracker, the one that was dressed like a thief, hiss at the 'Giant Rats', making them turn on one another.<p>

"That works." the one dressed like a tomb guard commented.

"So does this." Nezumi hissed.

Nezumi twisted as his body cracked and changed. Now, instead of being one body and seven heads, he had three bodies. Two had two heads, and the final had three. Ryou and Malik had woken in time to see the change, and were currently wondering how they were able to keep stomachs from upchucking.

"Okay," the thief dressed doll looked mildly put out at the display, the Hikaris feeling the same way. "That's nasty."

"Silence!" Nezumi screeched, and each separate body lunged for a different nutcracker, teeth bared to bite and tear.

Yugi felt his eyes widen as Nezumi lunged for his nutcracker.

"Leave Atemu alone!" Yugi shouted, and threw the nearest object he could grab, which happened to be his slipper, at the three headed mouse.

Ryou threw a 'Vylon Cube' wooden puzzle that was completed, courtesy of Yugi, at one of the two headed bodies, and Malik threw the pocket knife he never left home without at the other one.

The hits gave the desired results. Every single one of the Nezumi bodies shrieked and crumbled upon impact. Yugi wasn't surprised since 'Bone Mouse' had only 400 attack points and 300 defense points, and his 'Bite Shoe' shaped slippers could be considered to have 500 attack points and 300 defense points.

Ryou sighed as the 'Vylon Cube' wooden puzzle, considered to have with 800 attack and defense points, smacked the two-headed 'Bone Mouse' and killed it.

Malik nodded solemnly as his pocket knife's blade struck the final Nezumi body in the heart, killing it instantly.

"Why?" Nezumi of three heads asked as he felt his life leaving him.

"You were going to hurt him." Yugi replied with a glare. "He's mine. I've already had to bandage him up once,"

"And did a good job." Pharaoh added as he moved his arm back and forth.

"… and I'm not to keen on him having marks that I can't get rid of."

"But," Nezumi gasped, "you're supposed to love me."

"I already gave my heart away." Yugi said softly. "It can never be claimed by another."

"No." Nezumi breathed out as the last of his life fled his body, leaving him dead.

"Now what?" Malik asked, making his fellow Hikaris and the nutcrackers turn to him. "What? The room is filled with tons of _dead_ 'Giant Rats' and three _dead_ mutated 'Bone Mouse'. Excuse me for wondering if I'm going to get killed tomorrow morning when Yugi's grandpa sees this mess."

"He's got a point." Ryou admitted.

"So clean up then." Thief sighed.

"I'm not touching carrion!" Malik yelped.

"Carrion?" Keeper raised his eyebrows, or would have if he had any.

"Guys." Yugi whined. "Can we please just clean up?"

"Works for me." Pharaoh nodded.

Half an hour later, along with cleaning gloves and cleaning chemicals the living room was clean. The dead bodies were _outside_ in the trash bin.

"Why did your grandfather wake during all that?" Ryou asked as they spread their sleeping bags back out.

"Once he's out," Yugi shook his head, "he sleeps like a rock."

"Question." Keeper spoke up, making the Hikaris turn to him. "Why aren't you freaking out at talking and moving nutcrackers, live duel monsters, and a creepy seven headed mouse that wanted to make you its lover?"

"We've never had normal lives." Malik answered.

"At least," Yugi counted in his head, "starting about three years ago we've been cursed with non-normality."

"Amen to that." Ryou sighed as he tucked himself back in.

"What happened?" Pharaoh asked as he put himself into Yugi's arms.

So, an hour and a half later, the story of their non-normality had been told.

"Any reason you three aren't freaking out?" Malik asked as he set his tomb keeper nutcracker on the coffee table.

"We're talking nutcrackers." Thief rolled his wooden eyes. "Why do you think?"

"Fair point." Ryou admitted as the placed the tomb robber next to the tomb keeper.

"Why are you putting us up here?" Thief whined.

"Nature calls." Ryou replied shortly as he turned and walked down the hall.

"Oh."

"Getting impatient are we?" Keeper smirked at his tableside companion.

"Shut up!" Thief shouted and lunged for his wooden companion.

"Hey!" Malik shouted as he grabbed the two and separated them. "No fighting in the house."

"But-" Keeper pouted.

"No!" Yugi and Pharaoh interrupted firmly.

"Yeesh." Thief sighed. "Cant' a guy catch a break around here?"

"You're a nutcracker." Ryou responded as he came back into the room from his leak break. "Why do you think?"

"Ouch." Keeper winced. He had to eat his own words in the past before, and it wasn't a fun thing to do.

"Yugi." Pharaoh glanced up at his owner. "When Nezumi tried to tear us to pieces earlier, you threw your slipper at him and told him to leave me alone. More specifically, 'Leave Atemu alone!' Why did you call me the nameless pharaoh's name?"

"It's the name that I decided to give you." Yugi muttered with a blush. "You're both Pharaohs, so I figured, why not?"

"Do we have names?" Thief demanded.

"You're Bakura." Ryou answered as he took the tomb robber off the coffee table.

"And you're Marik." Malik added as he did the same.

"You named us after your other halves?" Keeper Marik raised and his wooden eyebrows.

"Sue me." Malik shot back.

* * *

><p><strong>Alverna:<strong> End chapter 3. And a side note, Chapter 2 is offically dedicated to my first and _only_ reviewer for chapter 1, Marilynjayfreak.

**Malik:** Please review to make the Hikaris happy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Alverna:** Chapter 4. -snickers-

**Bakura: **What's so funny?

**Alverna: **Nothing.

**Marik:** That always translates to something.

**Alverna:** Who cares? I don't own Yu-gi-oh, or the Nutcracker. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>C<span>hapter 4

* * *

><p>"Why would I want to do that?" Keeper Marik asked.<p>

"Cause your insane." Thief Bakura snickered.

"Both of you would." Pharaoh Atemu sighed. "You're both stupid enough to do it."

"Hey!"

The two tried to get out of Ryou and Malik's hands, but it didn't work out. They were wood, Ryou and Malik were human.

"You two done now?" Malik asked as a yawn passed threw his mouth.

"Yes." the two sulked.

"What time is it anyway?" Ryou asked.

"Almost 2 am." Yugi replied as he slid back into his sleeping bag and turned his face towards Pharaoh Atemu. "Do you mind if… I… uh…"

"Hold me while you sleep?" Pharaoh Atemu finished.

"Yeah." Yugi whispered with a blush.

"Yes." the nutcracker pharaoh replied. "And here's why. I'm wood, so I know my limit of breakage. Unless you toss me and don't catch me, chances of breaking aren't very high."

"Okay." Yugi smiled and tucked the nutcracker under his chin.

"And I thought you moved fast." Keeper Marik whispered to Thief Bakura.

"Yeah." Thief Bakura whispered back. "Already in the sleeping bag."

"Hey Ryou," Malik whispered loudly to his friend. "I think our nutcrackers are perverts."

"I think so to." Ryou whispered back.

"Come on." Keeper Marik whined.

"Aren't any conversations private?" Thief Bakura added.

"Not with these friends." Malik smirked as he grabbed Keeper Marik and tucked them both into the sleeping bag.

"Damn." Thief Bakura whispered. How had those two gotten so lucky?

"Are you joining me or what?" Ryou asked as he propped himself up on his elbow and held his sleeping bag open.

"Sure." Thief Bakura quickly slipped in before Ryou changed his mind.

"No trying anything." Ryou warned. "Or you're getting locked in the bullet proof glass cabinet."

"I'll be good." Thief Bakura whined.

"Sh!" Malik hissed and pointed to Yugi, who was sleeping peacefully for the first time in months.

"Atemu." Yugi mumbled, though no one understood what he was saying, or what he said next. "I love you."

* * *

><p>Yugi yawned as sunlight peaked threw the curtains the next morning. Glancing around, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.<p>

Malik and Ryou were still asleep, he was hungry and needed to use the bathroom, his nutcracker wasn't in his sleeping bag, and Grandpa Solomon had just fallen out of bed. Again.

Wait a minute! His nutcracker wasn't in his sleeping bag!

Unzipping his sleeping bag, Yugi opened it, hitting Malik in the process.

"What the fu-" Malik started.

"He's gone!" Yugi yelped as he stared at his empty sleeping bag. The only thing inside it was his socks, which he had somehow kicked off in the middle of the night. (**A/N:** I do this all the time, and I still don't know how it happens.)

"Who's gone?" Ryou mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Atemu!" Yugi whimpered as tears pricked his eyes. "My nutcrackers gone!"

"You're kidding." Malik propped himself up and glanced down into his sleeping bag. "I don't believe it!"

"You found him?" Yugi asked hopefully.

"No." Malik looked up with a panicked look. "Marik's gone to!"

"So is Bakura." Ryou said as he checked his sleeping bag.

"Where are they?" Yugi whimpered. "They were with us when we fell asleep last night."

"Unless that was a dream." Ryou replied.

"I was holding Atemu when I fell asleep the first time." Yugi snapped, and then winced when he saw his friend's expressions. "Sorry."

"Be right back." Malik stood up and went outside before running back in, holding his nose.

"No dream?" Ryou guessed, and Malik nodded.

"It's all in the trash can." Malik gasped in fresh air.

"Then where are they?" Yugi said softly as a tear fell down his cheek.

* * *

><p>"So you had them when you went to sleep," Sugoroku said as he watched the boys pick at their breakfast, "but when you woke up, they were gone."<p>

"That's pretty much it." Malik sighed. "And just when I was starting to not beat myself up over my actions during Battle City."

"I was getting to where I know it's not my fault for what my other half did to my friends." Ryou replied.

"I didn't have any nightmares last night." Yugi said softly.

"Looks like those nutcrackers are more important than I originally thought." Sugoroku said as he tapped his chin and drank some coffee. "You boys finish your breakfast and get dressed. When you're done, we'll do a thorough cleaning of the living room. We'll find those nutcrackers."

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Yugi was ready to give up. They had turned the entire living room inside out, and still hadn't found wood or hair of the nutcrackers.<p>

"I'm afraid I have to go now boys." Sugoroku sighed. "Arthur and I are going to the museum with Rebecca. She needs ideas for future school projects."

"Okay grandpa." Yugi sighed. "I think we'll, pop in a movie… or something."

"Just behave yourselves." Sugoroku warned.

"Yes sir." Malik nodded his head with Ryou.

"How about we watch 'The Santa Clause' with Tim Allen?" Ryou asked one the elderly man had left the house.

"Works for me." Malik went to dig out the movie.

"I'll go make some popcorn." Yugi pulled himself off the couch and went into the kitchen. In a few minutes, they were watching the DVD and calling out the obviously fake stuff.

"Who honestly thinks a reindeer can fly?" Malik asked as the movie was finishing.

"These guys, apparently." Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Ryou, Malik?" Yugi glanced towards his friends. "I just realized something. Atemu and Bakura would do this with whatever movie we would watch."

"That's right." Ryou nodded his head. "Bakura thought I was insane for just thinking about watching 'The Lion King'."

"Marik did it to." Malik gave a twisted smile. "Even though I didn't know it was him at the time, I could hear his complaints in the back of my head."

"We're more like them than we thought." Yugi rubbed his forehead.

"Is that… good or bad?" Ryou asked.

"Bad." the Hikaris agreed in unison.

A knock on the door made them jump.

"We'll clean up." Malik said as he jumped up to take care of the movie that was now rolling threw the credits.

"Yeah." Ryou nodded as he grabbed the empty popcorn bags.

"Lazy!" Yugi shouted over his shoulder, and received laughs in return, before the knocking coming faster and harder got his attention. "Coming!"

Yugi unlocked the door and gasped as he opened it.

"Hello Aibou." Atemu smiled. "May we come in?"

Yugi just stood there with his mouth open. He couldn't believe it. If this was someone playing a trick on him, there was going to be hell to pay.

"Quit gawking and let us in!" a new voice snapped, making Yugi turn to see Bakura.

"It's Ra damned freezing out here." Marik added as Yugi turned his attention to him.

"Yeah." Yugi stuttered. "Come in."

"Yugi," Ryou called from the living room, "who is it?"

"You're not going to believe me." Yugi called back.

"Oh really?" Malik replied.

"Just tell me you're sitting down." Yugi sighed.

"We are." Ryou replied.

"Okay then." Yugi walked into the living room, the Yamis' right behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Alverna:<strong> End Chapter. I'm so evil. Next chapter is the last one.

**Ryou:** Already?

**Alverna:** Yup. -goes off to cornor to cry-

**Yugi:** Please review to cheer us all up.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alverna:** Merry Christmas! Chapter 5! Last one! I own nothing! Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

* * *

><p>"OH MY RA!" Malik practically screamed when he saw his darker half walk into the living room behind Yugi.<p>

"Is this a joke?" Ryou yelped, eyes trained on Bakura.

"Nope." Yugi shook his head. "They were the ones knocking. It would have been cruel to leave them out in the cold."

"Why?" Malik asked, still border lining hyperventilation.

"One," Yugi sighed, not believing he had to point out the obvious, "they're from Egypt. And we know how much Egyptian's _love _the snow."

"It needs to go to the Shadow Realm!" Marik spat out, and Malik had to admit to himself that he shared similar feelings for the white powder.

"For the last time," Atemu growled at his fellow dark, "NO!"

"Aw." Marik pouted.

Giggles made him glare at the hikaris, but they couldn't help it. Their darker sides couldn't manage to pout properly. It just made them look cute, something they despised.

"And two," Yugi continued when he got his giggles under control, "have you taken a good look at what they're wearing?"

The two still in shock Hikaris looked closer and all three felt their faces heat up.

Yugi blushed as he looked at Atemu, who was wearing a large golden collar that covered his shoulders and a minor part of his upper chest. A crown that was a cobra charm on top of the Millennium Symbol (**A/N:** The eye found of each of the Millennium Items) was tied to his head, letting his hair naturally spike up. A white shendyt was wrapped around his waist, a golden belt and sash holding it in place.

Ryou turned his red face away after getting a good look at what Bakura was wearing. The ex-thief, hopefully, was dressed in a tan shendyt, a robe that looked like it belongs to someone of high class, basic sandals, and a shepherd's head cover.

Malik turned his what-felt-like-a-sunburn face towards the ceiling so he wouldn't see Malik's dress choice of a white shendyt, basic sandals, and the cloak he wore in Battle City.

"So they were cold?" Ryou squeaked out.

"Damn right." Bakura said as he rubbed his arms and legs, trying to get some heat back into them.

"You don't see me running around in a skirt in the dead of winter in Japan." Malik added.

"Can you explain why you're back?" Yugi asked as he pulled some blankets out of the hall closet for the Yamis, stopping in the kitchen to turn on the kettle.

"In short," Atemu glanced up and gathered his thoughts, "we weren't whole. We needed our lighter halves, so paradise was 'a hell that was worse than anything else we've ever experienced'."

"That's what I said!" Bakura smirked.

"Wish I had thought of it." Marik grumbled.

"Well, you didn't." Atemu sighed. "Anyway, the gods decided to give us a second chance, but there was a catch."

"And that was?" Ryou asked, finally getting himself under control.

"Recognize these?" Bakura asked and pulled a figure out from under his blanket, Marik and Atemu doing the same.

"Our nutcrackers." Malik gasped.

"How did you get those?" Yugi breathed out.

"We were these nutcrackers." Atemu answered.

"Oh." Yugi said, and then fainted.

* * *

><p>When Yugi woke up, the first thing he noticed was that he was in bed.<p>

"Awake I see."

Yugi gasped and turned to see Atemu sitting on a chair next to his bed.

"I wasn't dreaming." Yugi whispered.

"No." Atemu sighed. "You were awake."

"Where are Ryou and Malik?" Yugi asked as he sat up.

"Showing Bakura and Marik how to use the Wii without them trying to send it to the Shadow Realm."

Yugi giggled. He could see that happening.

"You had me worried." Atemu said, catching Yugi's attention. "When you fainted. You wouldn't respond, so we brought you in here."

"How long was I out?" Yugi asked.

"An hour." Atemu held the nutcracker pharaoh out to him with a smirk. "Here aibou. You seem to have an attachment to this."

"Thanks." Yugi smiled. "You said that you, Bakura, and Marik were the nutcrackers. How did that happen?"

"Like I said," Atemu leaned back in his chair, "the gods decided to give us a second chance after Bakura's outburst. But we had to be an inanimate object, and one of you needed to admit you loved your other half out loud."

Yugi blushed and looked down as he remembered what he had said the night prior as he was falling asleep. He had admitted he loved the pharaoh.

"Was what you said last night true?" Atemu whispered, making Yugi look in to serious eyes. "That you love me?"

"Yes." Yugi whispered as he suddenly became interested in his fingernails. "I do love you, mou hitori no boku."

"And I you." Atemu whispered in Yugi's ear.

Yugi lifted his head and felt Atemu's warm breath breeze across his face. Both stared at each other, not sure if they should move. Taking a breath in, Atemu closed the gap between them and placed a chaste kiss on Yugi's lips.

As he started to pull away, Yugi followed and kissed back. They both got so caught up in each other, they failed to notice the door open.

"Guess it's official." Ryou whispered.

"Yep." Malik agreed and closed the door. "Shall we go prevent our new boyfriends from killing each other?"

"Good idea." Ryou nodded and glanced back at the door. "Merry Christmas Yugi."

* * *

><p><strong>Alverna:<strong> Please reivew and let me know you love me. Next chapter of "How did it come to this?" will be out after New Years.


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